Gajevy Holiday Special
by Deadderson
Summary: Drabbles and one shots based on the most notable holidays and requests.
1. Chapter 1

"Gajeel, we are _not_ dressing the kids up as the twins from The Shining."

"Aw come on, it'll be fun!" Gajeel whined, bouncing Yajeh on his knee. The tot laughed and reached for him, grasping his long black locks when his father leaned over him. In the other room, Levy was dressing Shutora up for bed, zipping the pink onesie up and ruffling her newly cleaned hair. Next to her, Emma was just finishing up brushing her teeth, also readying for bed. Levy hoisted Shu onto her hip, and peeked into the twin's room.

"Do you remember the year you dressed Emma up as a nurse from Silent Hill?" she asked sardonically, her brow pinched as Gajeel paused, then grimaced. "That went rather superbly, didn't it?"

Gajeel sighed, then lifted his son up into the air, placing him into the crib. Yajeh giggled as Gajeel tickled his tummy, whining when his father pressed a kiss onto his head and leaned away to face his wife. He did indeed remember what happened, and regretted it. He'd been excited to dress his little girl up for Halloween, and when she claimed that she wanted a scary costume. She'd been ecstatic when he turned her into the mirror, and he'd been proud when he sent her off to the kiddy Halloween party. Not five minutes later they'd gotten a call from Lucy on the lacrima, and were shocked as a cacophony of wailing could be heard in the background. Apparently all the other kids hadn't been as thrilled to see Emma in her outfit, and when they ran from her, Emma had been shocked to tears.

So with lots of cajoling and comfort, Gajeel had brought her home with the biggest trick or treat goodie bag he could steal from Natsu. Since then, Levy had been in charge of costumes.

"The twins from The Shining aren't as bad," Gajeel said, reaching for Shu. Levy sighed, crossing her arms as he twirled her around, babbling back at her when she squealed. _So much for an early bedtime._ And she had hoped that he'd learned from that little lesson regarding the costumes, but the man was a sucker for scary movies and loved dressing up whenever he had a chance. She supposed that he thought they'd inherit his love for creepy things.

Well, maybe one day. Till then, it was going to be fluffy animals and cute things. Anything else and he'd be in the doghouse till Christmas. Or further.

A yawn next to her interrupted her train of thought, and and smiled as she reached for her biggest little girl. Her hair was far wilder than the twins, and darker too. Levy often wondered if that's how Gajeel was when he was a small boy; her hair had been tamer when she was Emma's age. Still, it was quite the wonder that her family was more than anything she'd ever dream of, and didn't question a single thing.

"Momma," Emma murmured sleepily as she nestled her little nose in her mother's neck. "Wanna be a dragon fer h'ween…"

Levy bit back a laugh as Gajeel's head perked up, his eyes wide and glittering with sudden excitement. "A dragon, hmm?" she said softly, rocking them as Gajeel knelt next to them, ready to whisk Emma to bed.

"Mmm," was all that the girl could manage as she released her hold on her mother and turned to her father. He was whispering to her as she curled into his chest, warm and ready for sleep. Levy grinned as he rose and turned with her in his arms, squeezing herself happily as she turned to the livelier twins. As she reached to stroke their heads and hum their lullaby, her thoughts toyed with an idea.

 _Dragons, eh?_

Well, they _were_ a family of dragons, so why not dress as such?

She grinned as the twins finally closed their eyes for the last time, snuggling close to each other. They could definitely do Dragons. She'd just have to find some help somewhere…


	2. Chapter 2

"Y'know Lev, yer really gonna be the death of me," Gajeel groaned, gulping as his girl twirled in front of him. She paused, concern flashing on her face before she pouted. She folded her arms over her barely clothed chest, huffing in annoyance.

"You said you wanted a quiet Halloween," she mumbled, slouching a little. Gajeel gulped, his eyes raking down her body till it landed on her jutted out hip. This definitely wasn't what he had in mind, but hell, plans can change, right?

"S-so," he began, his mouth going dry as blood rushed up his neck and back down to his groin. "Where the hell did you even find that little get up?"

Little it certainly was; it was practically ribbon and strings! How was it even staying in place? He couldn't even see little ties in the back when she was spinning around, confounding the slayer. Though he had to admit that the little bat wings were a nice touch, it was festive enough. But as she whipped her arms out, all intelligent thought went out the window as he watched the ribbons covering her nipples slip a little, showing the tiniest amount of pink underneath. She was shaking more than she'd normally would in conversation, he noted; flinging her arms every which way and swaying her hips distractedly.

She's doing this on purpose! He realized, nearly choking on his tongue when she bounced on her toes and down hard, making her breasts bobble. The ribbon was sliding to the side, and he had a hunch that she was blithely ignoring it to get a rise out of him. Well, he was definitely "risen" now, and squirmed in his seat as his pants grew increasingly tighter. If she was unaware of his current condition, then he was going to rectify that real soon.

"So… I guess you like it?"

He blinked, snapping his head up to look her straight in the face. She was blushing, suddenly looking shy and bashful. "You keep staring at me yet you haven't heard a word I said. I said that I got this from the store at least twice," she said, shrugging her shoulders and sighing. The ribbon slipped again, yanking his eyes back down to her breasts as the thin strips completely slipped off her nipples, teasing him with hardened peaks. He was nearly panting with eagerness, for god's sake! Oh, how he wanted to jump over the ottoman and bury his face in her mounds, teasing her nipples lightly with his tongue before latching on with his lips. The ribbons just invited the naughtiest of fantasies, and he sure as hell was going to do whatever he wanted later on.

"Well?" she demanded. She planted her fists on her hips, just above the little ruffle of silk. He'd blanked out again, drowning in his own imagination. She huffed a little, cocking her head impatiently. "What do you think?"

He paused, then let the hungry grin slip onto his face as he leaned back, stroking his bulge. He chuckled lowly as he watched her eyes widen and lock onto his groin, a fiery blush spreading from her chest to the roots of her hair. He jiggled his belt lightly, licking his lips.

"Yeh want me to show yeh of what I think?" he asked, flashing his sharp teeth as she fidgeted, rubbing her knees together.

"Y-yes, please," she squeaked, twitching when he shot up from the chair and nearly loomed over her. He hooked a finger under the top ribbon, marveling at how loose it was. As his eyes traveled up from her chest to her lips, he could hear her breath hitch, stirring his blood hotter. He growled as he leaned closer to her, barely brushing his lips over hers. He was going to show her his ever growing appreciation, all right. And hell, he might actually save the little ribbon outfit too!

"Gihee, I hope yer ready for a good fucking" he whispered in her ear, nearly purring when she leaned into his arms, swooning. "Trick or treat, Lev. Give me something good to eat."


	3. Chapter 3

"Whew, it's really coming down now," Gajeel whistled as he leaned near the large window, watching as the large flakes intensified. "Too bad the others missed their chance to beat the storm, gihee."

Levy joined him, taking a break from her book to watch the sky darken. "Looks like it's going to get really bad," she mused, her lip pursed. Gajeel broke his gaze away to glance at her face, then grinned as he bumped into her.

"Gihee, at least we made it, and we got a shit ton of stuff to last if we get snowed in," he said, grinning good-naturedly at her. "Plus we won't be bored if the lights go out, either. Especially if we'll be on our own."

Levy's brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at him. He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, then winked. Levy couldn't stop the snort of laughter from escaping her, blushing as realization sank in.

"Gajeel, we can't be going on all night and day," she giggled. "We'd have to sleep at some point. And what if I want a story?" she teased, returning his bump with her own shoulder.

"Tch, we'll take naps in between. Plus, _your_ stamina puts most dragons to shame." he grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. Then he leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, "and if you want a story so bad, I'll paint one over yer body, starting from the tips of yer hair to the tips of yer toes. And I'll be taking my time at the best parts too."

Her breath hitched at the promise in his voice. She turned her head, her lips grazing his cheek as she leaned closer to him, her fingers grasping his sweater. "And what would those best parts be?" she breathed, her voice husky from sudden anticipation.

"Hmmmm," he rumbled, slipping his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "When that protagonist makes it to the mountains and stays awhile at the peaks, just before he goes down the valley to the ocean," he murmured. Levy fought the urge to roll her eyes and laugh; he always took that story seriously, no matter how sexy it actually seemed.

In other words, what he alluded to was that he was going be spending a long time on her nipples before making it to her nether region. She didn't have to imagine how he'd suckle and nip on her tips; she could already feel it, and he was only hugging her. She could feel the hot tingle tickle her loins, and couldn't help squeezing her legs together, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

Suddenly his lips were on her earlobe, gently nibbling and sucking. She gasped, overwhelmed as the tingle surged into a flame that threatened to take her sanity. As her back began arching, Gajeel's hand ran up under her shirt, his flesh hot against hers and cupped her breast. He squeezed gently, and she moaned as she turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Lev," he rasped against her neck, his other hand covering her other breast, kneading it before his thumb slipped under to brush over her hardened nipple. She panted, her hips swaying as he teased her.

"Gajeel," she murmured in his ear. "Do we have to wait till then?"

He chuckled eagerly, letting go of her breasts to hoist her up, her legs encircling his waist. "Gihee, never underestimate that drive you got, Lev." he chuckled as he kissed her nose, then carried her to their room, almost as impatient as she was to make love.


	4. Chapter 4

"H-hey, what are you-?" A startled Levy gasped, leaning back till her her shoulders touched the wall. Looming over her, Gajeel grinned mischievously as he braced his arms on either side of her against the wall, bending over till his face was just level with hers.

"Shh, it's called Mistletoe, short stuff," he chuckled as he brushed his nose against hers. Feeling his warm breath just on her lips made her heart jump, causing her breath to hitch in sudden anticipation. Just down the hall, music from the party thrummed through the office halls, muffled only slightly by the thin walls. She supposed that she ought to be happy that most of everybody inside the room was busy partying, but any thought seemed to fly away after Gajeel planted his lips over hers.

She sighed, then wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to kiss him deeper. He groaned as she sucked on his bottom lip, then gathered her close and hoisted her up, lifting the hem of her skirt till she could hug his waist with her legs.

"Dummy," she whispered as she breathlessly broke off the kiss. "There's no mistletoe here." She tried to scold him with a frown, then pouted as he grinned cheekily at her before peppering her jaw with little kisses. Her frown gave way to a blush as he reached under her ass and squeezed.

"Tch, what happened to yer hairband?" he teased. He bit the corner of her collar, and tugged till there was a bit more soft looking skin, leaning in to lick her neck and nibble on her earlobe. She huffed, then rolled her hips roughly against him, making him growl as his pants grew more uncomfortable.

"Lucy borrowed it, actually," she said, her breath haggard as she fought not to moan as his hips pinned her against the wall, his bulge pressing against her sensitive junction. Gods, he was too much and she _loved_ it. She leaned her head back as she gripped the back of his shirt, wanting more than anything to feel his heat inside her.

She felt a waft of cool air on her collarbone, and sucked in her breath just as he began lavishing her chest with his tongue. She looked down to see just his wild black mane (completely against company standards, no less), and buried her face in his long locks, breathing in his wonderful shampoo smell. Her whine was muffled in his hair as he opened her shirt more, tugging on her bra till her nipples were exposed to his fingers.

"Gajeel, we… we can't here…" she gasped as he pinched and tweaked them. He chuckled lowly, then licked the tip of one nipple, drawing his tongue up over her chest and neck till he reached her lips and latched on. She sighed, squeezing her limbs tightly around him, panting when he finally released her.

"Gihee, wanna ditch the party and get yer Christmas present early?" he asked, warmth dusting his own cheeks. He ground his hips into hers, eliciting a moan from her as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. After a moment, she nodded slowly, leaning back to smile softly at him. After all, office sex was thrilling, but not as fulfilling as a full night's tussle in his sheets.


	5. Chapter 5

Gajeel sucked in his breath as he walked into the store, shuffling his sweatshirt nervously as he took his spot behind the counter. His coworkers hadn't been kidding about the busy times lately, though he supposed that was good for the shop. He glanced over the list of stocked items, checked his till, ignored Lily's admonition of the lack of a name tag, then glanced up at the bookstore across the hall.

There she stood, bobbing back and forth behind the tiny tree that stood on her own counter, already busy with a slew of early customers. He sighed, cursing the decoration of blocking his view of the little book keeper. Oh, he knew what she looked like; they'd chatted for months while passing each other to use the other's facilities. Levy claimed that it was funny how it was the only time they got a chance to talk, and he was inclined to agree. In fact, it was something he was determined to change.

He just sucked at timing.

His coworkers never failed to find humor in how he missed his chances, whether he forgot (distracted by her lips or her eyes) or he tripped over his own tongue and promptly froze in place. They also never hesitated to poke fun at him, teasing him on how obvious his crush on her was. Regardless, he was always amazed how she never seemed to notice, or comment on his sudden bouts of awkwardness. In fact, she always seemed to have a smile for him, and he could swear that her lovely chocolate eyes would twinkle just for him.

It hadn't started out that way. In fact, the first time she had laid eyes on him was when he had towered over her in his store's break room, her lunch already in their oddly coveted microwave. He'd startled her, and badly, nearly making her spill her meal as he growled at her, demanding as to what she thought she was doing. Nervously she'd explained that her store had the oddly coveted bathroom, and that Lily had allowed her and her coworkers to use the microwave as trade to use their bathroom. Which, in hindsight, made complete and total sense, but at the time Gajeel hadn't been as impressed. There was a very good reason why that microwave was the best; he'd bought it himself to use at work.

After a moment he'd sighed, then nodded gruffly at the girl, letting her continue on heating her food and whisking away with a quiet apology. Later on that day he'd make his way over to her store, his head sore from where Lily had smacked him over the head for his rudeness. He had only wanted to use their bathroom, not really intending to make a sincere apology on the way, but just as he was passing her, something caught his eye, forcing him to stop and really look at the little blue haired woman.

Her eyes were slightly puffy, and damp from tears. She was avoiding his gaze, quite blatantly. He noticed her lunch next to her, cold and untouched. Hot guilt punched him in the chest, making him trip slightly. He hadn't meant to make her cry; he was just overly protective of things he'd invested in. But now, he wondered if he'd gone too far.

He whipped around, storming out without another thought, shame coloring his cheeks. He was going to fix this, and make things right! And he was in luck; there was a chocolate shop across the mall, right next to a little coffee bar. Not stopping to think for a minute, he strode up to each of the cashiers and ordered a hot coffee and a little box of chocolates, determined to return to her and apologise for being such a jackass.

Her eyes opened wide when he plopped the little gifts down in front of her, understandably stunned as he sighed, then started explaining himself. Her features softened a bit when he bowed his head, his jaw clenched. He would understand if she refused it, he was a bit of a rough guy (according to everyone else, that was a bit of an understatement). A huff of gentle laughter caught his attention, and he looked up to see her smile warmly at him. He held his breath as she nodded, then reached out to take the treats, surprising him.

"Thank you," she breathed, her voice soft if not still a bit rough from crying. Warmth flooded his chest then, and the unmistakable urge to gather her up in his arms lodged itself in his heart, and from then on, he was hooked. It was something he was unfamiliar with, hence all his fumbling around her since.

And with the holiday season in full swing, they had even less time to talk, let alone dally in each other's stores. He was grateful just to catch glimpses of her, waving at her when she periodically looked his way and smiled. Then another wave of customers would take her attention away, making him sigh. He wasn't going to admit that he was jealous of the attention she gave them; they were at work for christ's sake!

But to just hear her voice, even as a customary greeting, was something he longed for. He bit back an oath as a large group of teens entered his store, loud and excited to look at the merchandise. He was not looking forward to this, not at all.

He was in the middle of a long list of transactions when suddenly, a scream pierced through the already chaotic afternoon. Startled, he looked up to see one of the teens pointing across the way, and followed her gaze. His breath hitched in his chest, and his limbs froze, unable to do anything.

A man was pointing a large knife in Levy's face, waving it frantically at her as he held a bag out in his other hand. Her hands raised, she remained remarkably composed, though Gajeel could see terror in her eyes. She flinched as the knife nicked her palm, and a tear of blood seeped from the wound. Her lip was beginning to wobble a bit, but she nodded as she backed away to comply with the burglar. Her chest was hitching, and he was suddenly terrified that the robber would seriously hurt her now, maybe even kill her!

At that thought, the chains that locked him place broke loose, and he leapt into action. He reached for the crowbar hiding under the cashier, keeping his eyes always on the man as he thrashed the knife even more erratically. He raced around the counter, pushing screaming teens out of the way as Lily shouted (at him, or at the kids, he couldn't tell and didn't care). The man was screaming at her to hurry, throwing his bag at her and made a swipe at her with the knife. Her composure cracked, tears spilling down her face as he reached for her arm, intent on grabbing her.

Gajeel didn't hesitate, letting instinct guide him as he lifted the bar high, then threw it as hard as he could across the way. Time slowed as he watched it flip end over end, making its way towards his target. He urged it on, hoping that he'd made it in time.

It landed with a dull crack across the would be thief's temple, spinning away as the man dropped to the ground, knocked out cold. Cheers mixed with screams erupted from the stores, followed by applause. But he ignored all of that, keeping his eyes on the still form as he rushed into the bookstore.

Finally satisfied that the man wouldn't be rising again, he turned his attention on Levy, only to have his breath knocked from his lungs as she bowled into him, wrapping her skinny arms around his waist tightly. His own wrapped around her, and suddenly they were surrounded by cheering people. He couldn't hear her, but felt her shaking badly as she sobbed into his sweater. He hugged her close as he looked for the robber again, sighing in relief when he saw another man sitting on him, hog tying him with a bright red and green ribbon from the gift wrapping counter.

Soon, mall security arrived and shooed the shoppers away, guiding the witnesses to another location and cuffing the man. He remained unconscious throughout, only stirring when the police hauled him up and away. Gajeel sighed in relief once he was out of sight, glad that the situation was over now. He rubbed her back, murmuring gently in her hair that it was okay now. She shook her head, still trembling violently. Despite the police coming and taking their statements, she had refused to let go of him, something that he was secretly pleased with and now rather worried.

"Levy," he said gently yet firmly. "Look at me."

She shivered, then slowly pulled back, her hands still gripping his sweater tightly. Her face was blotched and red from crying, but apart from that he didn't see any injuries. He reached for the hand he knew was injured, but she gulped and shook her head.

"Levy, it's me, okay? Everything is fine now, sweet thing," he crooned, leaning forward to press his lips against her crown. She stiffened, and for an instant he froze, terrified that he'd overstepped again. But she sighed, finally relaxing against his chest.

"G-gajeel," she hiccuped, and he couldn't help but hold her close, swaying gently as he rocked her soothingly.

"Shh, shh, I'm here," he murmured. She hummed, nodding slowly before leaning back to look at him.

"I'm glad," she said, then offered her palm for him to examine. To his utter relief, it was only a scratch, and looked worse than it was. He sighed, then tugged on her to follow him, tossing a quick excuse to her manager on the way out.

The first aid kit offered more than what was normally necessary in most situations, but he was happy to see the white box once they entered the little room with the microwave. He pulled one of the chairs closer and motioned for her to sit, frowning over her injury when he settled the box on the table, kneeling in front of her. Now that he had more time to look at her, it sank in how close she had been to getting seriously injured. If the knife had nicked her throat…

He grasped her hand and pulled her into his arms, fighting the urge to give in and weep at the thought. She really was ok, and just holding her was proof enough, wasn't it?

"Gajeel?" she asked, her voice soft.

"I'm fine, didn't think I'd make it in time, that's all," he huffed out hurriedly. He cursed inwardly. The damned awkwardness was returning now that the danger was past, and heat was threatening to creep up his neck. He pulled away from her, now intent on cleaning her injury. However, it still didn't shake the image from his head, and his hands were shaking a bit. Suddenly, her hand turned over, grasping his hand while he was fighting the little antiseptic pack.

"You threw that?" she asked, her voice filled with surprise. Her eyes were wide, and he let himself get lost in them, sighing as he nodded. "Then," she said, her voice hitching slightly as her eyes moistened again. "You really did save me, didn't you?"

He nodded, gulping. And nearly jumped when she leaned close to him, pressing her lips against his. His thoughts quieted, overwhelmed by her scent as the tension drained away. She was so soft, he couldn't help but marvel. So this is what it was like to kiss her…

She was beginning to lean away from him, to break the kiss off and… well, he wasn't sure. But he knew that he wasn't ready to let go, and angled his head and followed her, ignoring her surprised squeak. He knew he was fucked, by her and because of her, but he was dammed if he was going to let her go anymore. It seemed that she was of the same mind, for she slipped her arms up and around his neck, pulling him close and deepening the kiss.

At last they broke apart, panting as though they'd just surfaced from deep water. For a time they stayed silent, content to just be near each other as he brushed his nose against hers, periodically kissing her cheek or lips. She returned each kiss with little kissed of her own, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. He blinked as a sudden thought popped into his head, and he rubbed his chin over her head thoughtfully.

"Oi," he said softly. She raised her head, looking at him inquisitively. Gone was the terror in her eyes, but they sparkled with something he couldn't quite identify yet was eager to discover. "A little late since we're already kissin and all, but yeh wanna get dinner tonight?"

She burst out laughing, and hugged him close, nodding her acceptance. He held her close as she giggled happily, becoming dizzy with how crazy the entire afternoon had been, but incredibly happy that he was still able to hold her like he always wanted to.


	6. Chapter 6

He didn't want to acknowledge the awful truth, despite his scratchy throat and runny nose. _Dragon slayers do not get colds,_ he groused as he shoved his gloved hands deeper into his coat pockets, silently cursing the cold weather and snow as he trudged towards the guild. And besides, he thought crossly. Who the hell gets sick on christmas of all holidays?

Apparently a certain dragon slayer, and the cough that erupted from his lips tore at his throat, making it difficult to breathe in the cold air. Finally, he gasped as he leaned against a building, shaking his head against the dizzy spell it caused him. After a minute, he pushed himself up, tugging his jacket tighter against the cold. _Dammit_ , he thought. Why'd he have to get sick now? He'd promised his girl that he'd take her on a walk through the gardens tonight!

He shuffled towards the guild hall, grateful that it was closer now. He almost couldn't wait to get inside and get Mira's hot cider down his throat. Then, he'd find Levy and take her on that walk. Afterwards, he'd get home and just pass out on his bed, ignoring the rest of the world.

Eager to get the night done and over with, he pushed the doors open to have incredibly loud music blast through him. Oh yes, he'd forgotten.

The streets had been quiet enough, thanks to the noise cancelling runes Reed had set up. Truthfully, he'd ignored the noise most of the time, but tonight it served to just drive spikes into his brain, aggravating his already sour mood. By the time he stomped past the others and plopped himself at the bar, he was regretting even trying to come. Even Mira's smile didn't help, and a wet cough escaped his mouth when he opened his mouth in a futile attempt to order something. A fit overtook him, and he buried his face in his scarf, snuffling as it finally went away.

A cool and small hand touched his forehead, and he leaned into its soothing touch. He could hear her voice, murmuring comforting words against the harsh wash of the cacophony in the hall. He didn't understand the meaning, but damn did her hand feel good. He reached up with his and kept hers there, muttering that it felt good. He could feel her wrap her other arm around his shoulder, her voice concerned as she asked him something that he couldn't hear. He leaned against her, choosing to ignore her question to soak in her warmth instead.

Suddenly the noise lessened by a lot, almost as though it was muffled. Something was shoved into his other hand and brought up to his lips, and he drank greedily, almost surprised to taste honey and ginger. It felt good going down, and he rumbled his appreciation. Well, croaked was more like it. Another hand pressed against his back, and he vaguely recognized it as Lily's. _Huh, Lily must've gotten big_ , he thought drowsily as he kept sipping the tea. The heat was soothing as it went down, warming him to his toes. It felt so good he wanted to curl around it and doze a bit before taking Levy out. That's what he needed, he mused sleepily. A good nap before a good time out.

He must've nodded off faster than he thought, he realized as he cracked his eyes open. Something was off though, and his sluggish mind fought to catch up.

First was the fact that the light was different; low and warm orange. He knew this light from somewhere, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The second thing was he wasn't sleeping at the bar, and was laying completely down on something soft and very warm, almost cocooning him. He sighed, burrowing further into the warmth as a cough threatened to start another fit.

"Gajeel?"

He jolted slightly as Levy's voice reached him, waking him up a bit more. He lifted his head, blearily looking around. Ah, now he recognized the room. He'd ventured in here on most nights when he was too horny to wait for her. Yet tonight…

"Shit, Titania?" he rasped, shifting to sit up. His head felt heavy, and he didn't enjoy the waft of cool air on his neck. To his shock, his body didn't resist as she reached over to push him back down, tucking the blanket over him. Obviously she had been with him, sitting next him and nursing him. Despite already feeling hot, he couldn't stop the wash of embarrassment filling his cheeks. _Dammit,_ he thought. _Now I look like an invalid!_

"She made an exception since you're sick and I didn't want you in that freezer you call a home," she said, her voice soft yet firm. She leaned over to kiss his temple, brushing his damp bangs back. "Besides," she added, lowering her voice even more. "It gives me a chance to take care of you for once."

Her touch was doing a number on him, her fingers stroking paths over his brows and down his nose, soothing him into drowsiness again. He inhaled sharply when an errant thought woke him up, and he opened his eyes to look at her.

"What about yer gardens? You really wanted to go to that," he muttered. She smiled at him, then pressed her lips on his brow again.

"They'll be here when you get better, Gajeel. I'd rather have you feeling better than go walking in the cold just to look at some light anyways."

He blinked, then smiled softly at her, finally succumbing to her ministrations and warmth. Indeed, her christmas gardens would still be there, but he was more than grateful for his girl. Whatever he did to deserve her, he'd never know, or stop asking himself. But he would never stop appreciating her, no matter what.


	7. Chapter 7

Levy sighed, tossing her book aside to stare at the roaring fire. The twins were tossing again, bumping her book away as they sought a better spot to sleep and preventing any further progress in her reading. She chuckled softly, rubbing her growing belly as they finally settled down. Outside, snow was piling up as dusk was beginning to settle, and muffled laughter could be heard as Jet and Droy threw snow at each other. She could hear Gajeel's harsher voice yelling them to hurry up and finish shoveling, no doubt wanting to rush back in and warm up next to the fire. And, she mused happily, his wife!

He'd gone all out this year with everything, decorating nearly the entire house with Lily and the boys. Much to her annoyance, he'd continuously set her on the couch, shushing her protests at wanting to help. She supposed it was an intense bout of "nesting", surprising her with the intensity he'd put into decorating. She'd even wager that not even the guild was as decorated as their home, and that was saying something.

But the most impressive piece of work he'd done so far was the twin's room. She'd nearly cried when he showed it to her, she was immensely touched by the amount of care and thought he'd put into it. Both of the cradles had little wreaths hanging over the headboards, with little lights and tinsel wrapped around the bars. A tiny christmas tree stood in the corner, complete with tiny wrapped presents underneath. Soft music filtered through the air, a gentle contrast to the bombastic music that played downstairs.

"Gajeel, you silly thing, the babies won't be here to see this till next year," she giggled, unable to help herself from teasing him. He huffed, folding his arms over his chest defensively before turning towards her, pouting slightly. Then, after a puse, a warm smile crept over his face, and he leaned over her and kissed her forehead.

"Tch," he said. "Just cause they're not in our arms yet doesn't mean they can't tell it's christmas. Besides, they like all that eggnog you've been chugging lately." His smile turned to a teasing smirk as she blushed. "And here I thought you didn't like the stuff."

"T-that's just the hormones!" she sputtered, rapidly slapping his arms in an effort to make him stop. But he did have a point; before being pregnant she didn't care for it, now she couldn't get enough of it. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her closer (or as close as her baby bump would allow) and pressed a kiss against her temple.

"We'll see after the kids are here, yeah?" he asked, snickering lightly. She huffed, then snuggled against him. Hopefully not, she mused. She'd like to have her normal taste buds back before she started liking fruit cake of all things!


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe that she picked this time to come," grumbled Levy, glowering as she folded her arms over her chest. They were hampered by her swollen belly, further aggravating her mood. It didn't help that she was in full labor, and helpless to the onslaught of hormones raging through her. The nursing staff at the hospital had been kind enough to decorate her little room with lights and a little tree, so it mollified her for a bit. But she couldn't help but feel a little down; she'd desperately wanted to be apart of the festivities of the guild. She'd heard rumors that they'd planned something very special this year, and surprises were pretty entertaining to say the least.

But their plans changed the moment she felt the cramps, and suddenly the pain. That was the most shocking part for her; she hadn't expected it to hurt so much. Gajeel was by her side instantly, tense yet focused on her. Tears coursed down her face when he quietly affirmed her fears; the baby was here, no doubts about it. She was almost annoyed that he knew more about her than she ever could, but then again his dragon senses never lied about anything. So with a nod, she let him whisk her up in his arms and cradle her as he rushed them to the hospital.

She sighed, letting her arms flop to her sides as she watched her husband pace around the room, agitated from all the waiting. She couldn't blame him; she was just as anxious. She'd been in labor for about six hours now, and she was yet to even be close to what the doctors expected.

She sniffled, gulping as tears threatened to slip down her face. What on earth was she even thinking now? Her baby was coming! She should be ecstatic for little Emma's arrival! Oh, but she was, yet she couldn't help but feel fear slither inside her and make her nervous. The baby was earlier than expected, at least by two weeks, and she hoped that she was alright.

She slipped her arms around her belly, hugging herself tightly as she could. Sensing her unease, Gajeel stopped pacing, staring at her for a moment before walking to her side and motioning her to scoot forward a little. He slipped behind her, wrapping his strong and warm arms around her and nuzzling her head.

"Hey," he breathed, kissing her hair. "Wanna hear something funny?"

She nodded, leaning back against him as pangs of another contraction tweaked her lower half. She fought the urge to hold her breath, breathing slowly as he waited, rubbing her hands softly to help distract her. After a moment, she nodded again, leaning her head back against his chest.

"I think Asuka's going to win the pool," he said, chuckling lowly. She blinked, then huffed a soft laugh. The damn baby pool of all things. The guild definitely couldn't help betting on anything, no matter what. She remembered when the little black haired child bounced up to her, her eyes almost as big as Levy's belly. She giggled when she asked if Emma would be a christmas baby, and Levy couldn't tell her that the baby would be here a bit later than that. But if what Gajeel said was true, then Asuka was definitely getting her wish.

Oh well, then at least she wouldn't be as miserable anymore.

"Yeh ready to meet her?" Gajeel murmured, happiness seeping into his voice. A grin broke out on her lips, and she nodded as she squeezed his fingers tightly. She really couldn't wait to see her baby, to finally hold her in her arms, to see how beautiful she is. Gajeel was just as eager, she knew. Maybe even more so than she thought, and she was incredibly grateful for his strength that held her together no matter what.

"You know how much I love you, right?" she asked softly, wincing as another contraction was beginning. He chuckled, nosing her hair as she breathed through it.

"About as much as I love you?" he said, and she let out a watery laugh. This really was going to be the best Christmas ever.


End file.
